Pavement cutting machine with telescoping frame



June 11, 1968 e. E. smms ETAL PAVEMENT CUTTING MACHINE WITH TELESCOPINGFRAME Filed Oct. 24, 1

Q @a m E m a m w A s S M W U lhme 11, 1968 G. E- SIMMS ETAL.

PAVEMENT CUTTING MACHINE WITH TELESCOPING FRAME Filed Oct. 24, 1966 3Sheets-Sheet 2 I QINI. iaEElL x s O N w 0 Q INVENTORS. GLEN E. Slums XDawn E.C'oo1 5 Their flzfarn eys x l/nee/s, K1555 Passe. Keen June 11,1968 s. E. SIMMS ETAL PAVEMENT CUTTING "MACHINE WITH TELESCOPING Filedon. 24, 1965 FRAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 61.5w E. SIMMS .Dnwo E. Coax UnitedStates Patent 3,387,891 PAVEMENT CUTTING MACHINE WITH TELESCOPING FRAMEGlen E. Simms, Glendora, and David E. Cook, El Monte, Califl, assignorsto Concut, Inc., El Monte, Calif., a corporation of California FiledOct. 24, 1966, Ser. No. 589,046 8 Claims. (Cl. 299-39) The presentinvention relates in general to a machine which is particularly suitablefor performing various cutting operations on pavement, and especiallyconcrete pavement. For example, the machine of the invention is capableof leveling concrete pavement to eliminate lumps therefrom, groovingconcrete pavement to increase its skid resistance, sawing expansionjoints in concrete pavement, and the like.

More particularly, the invention relates to a selfpropelled,vehicle-type pavement cutting machine of the general character disclosedin Patents Nos. 3,195,957, issued July 20, 1965, Re. 25,838, reissuedAug. 10, 1965, 3,201,173, issued Aug. 17, 1965, 3,208,796, issued Sept.28, 1965, and 3,272,560, issued Sept. 13, 1966, all to Cecil W. Hatcher.

As background, the invention contemplates a selfpropelled, vehicle-type,pavement cutting machine which includes: frame means havinglongitudinally spaced front and rear ends; front wheel means connectedto and supporting the front end of the frame means; rear wheel meansconnected to and supporting the rear end of the frame means; rotarycutting means carried by the frame means between the front and rearwheel means, and rotatable about a transverse axis, for cutting pavementover which the machine runs; and means on the frame means and connectedto the rotary cutting means and at least one of the wheel means fordriving the rotary cutting means and for propelling the machine.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a pavement cuttingmachine of the foregoing type having means for varying the longitudinalspacing of the front and rear wheel means and, more particularly, havingmeans for varying the longitudinal spacing of the front wheel means andthe rotary cutting means. A related object is to provide a machinewherein the front wheel means and the rotary cutting means arejuxtaposed in close proximity to each other when the longitudinalspacing between the front and rear wheel means is at its minimum.

When the longitudinal spacing between the front and rear wheel means isat its maximum, the front wheel means is located a substantial distanceforwardly of the rotary cutting means. Under such conditions, themachine can be used to level concrete pavement by cutting bumpstherefrom, the forward position of the front wheel means minimizingreflections of bumps encountered thereby to the rotary cutting means.When the longitudinal spacing of the front and rear wheel means is atits minimum, the machine can be used for pavement grooving or sawingoperations, the location of the front wheel means in close proximity tothe rotary cutting means under such conditions resulting in grooving orsawing to constant depths.

Considering the invention somewhat more specifically, an importantobject thereof is to provide a pavement cutting machine including framemeans having front and rear sections to which the front and rear wheelmeans are connected, respectively, and which are telescopicallyinterconected to vary the longitudinal spacing of the front and rearwheel means. With this construction, the frame means may be extended tomake the machine a bump cutter, or the frame means may be contracted tomake the machine a constant-depth grooving or sawing machine, or fortransport purposes.

Still another object is to provide a machine wherein "ice the framemeans includes a main frame composed of the telescopicallyinterconnected front and rear sections mentioned, and also includes anauxiliary frame having a rear end connected to the rear section of themain frame for pivotal movement of the auxiliary frame relative to therear section of the main frame about a transverse auxiliary-frame pivotaxis, the machine further including actuating means interconnecting thefront end of the auxiliary frame and the rear section of the main framefor pivoting the auxiliary frame upwardly and downwardly about theauxiliary-frame pivot axis.

An important object in the foregoing connection is to mount the rotarycutting means on the auxiliary frame adjacent the front end thereof sothat upward and downward pivoting of the auxiliary frame results invarying the depth of cut, or in lifting the rotary cutting means out ofengagement with the pavement.

Another object is to provide a machine wherein the means for driving therotary cutting means and for propelling the machine includes an enginemounted on the auxiliary frame so that its weight is available to forcethe rotary cutting means into the pavement as it rotates.

Yet another object is to provide retractable pavement engaging meanscarried by the auxiliary frame adjacent the front end thereof andextensible into engagement with the pavement to prevent downward pivotalmovement of the auxiliary frame by the actuating means, thereby causingthe actuating means to lift the front wheel means off the pavement tofacilitate telescopic extension and contraction of the main frame whenvarying the longitudinal spacing of the front and rear wheel meansbetween its minimum and its maximum. 4

A further object of the invention is to provide interengageable stopmeans on the auxiliary frame and the rear section of the main frame forlimiting downward pivotal movement of the auxiliary frame to control thedepth of cut, one of the stop means comprising a stack of pivoted leavesselectively pivotable into and out of a position to be engaged by theother of the stop means so as to vary the depth of cut.

An additional object is to provide a rear wheel means which is pivotablerelative to the frame means about a vertical axis and which has steeringmeans connected thereto for pivoting same about such axis to steer themachine.

The fore-going objects, advantages, features and results of the presentinvention, together with various other objects, advantages, features andresults thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the pavementcutting art in the light of this disclosure, may be achieved with theexemplary embodiment of the invention described in detail hereinafterand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pavement cutting machine which embodies theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine in its extendedcondition and in condition to level pavement;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the machine in its contractedcondition and in condition for transport;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are sectional views respectively taken along the arrowedlines 44 and 55 of FIG. 1, FIG. 5 being a fragmentary view on anenlarged scale;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the arrowed line 6-6 ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing a main frame ofthe machine in the process of being extended; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated bythe arrowed line 88 of FIG. 4 of the drawings.

In the drawings, the pavement cutting machine of the invention isdesignated generally by the numeral 10 and includes a frame meanscomprising a main frame 12 and an auxiliary frame 14. The main frame 12comprises telescopically interconnected front and rear sections 16 and18. In the construction illustrated, the front section 16 of the mainframe 12 includes laterally spaced, longitudinal tubes 26 the front endsof which are interconnected by a cross member 22 and the rear ends ofwhich are telescoped into laterally spaced, longitudinal tubes 24forming parts of the rear section 18. The front and rear ends of thetubes 24 are interconnected by front and rear cross members 26 and 28.FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 show the main frame 12 in its extended condition, whileFIGS. 3 and 7 show it in its contracted condition. The main frame 12 maybe secured in its extended or contracted conditions by bolts 30extending through the front ends of the tubes 24 of the rear framesection 18 and through corresponding portions of the tubes 29 of thefront frame section 16.

The frame means comprising the telescoping main frame 12 and theauxiliary frame 14 is supported by a front wheel means 32 and a rearwheel means 34 respectively connected to the frame means adjacent thefront and rear ends thereof. As best shown in FIG. 1, the front wheelmeans 32 preferably comprises two laterally spaced, front wheels 36,which may be suitably mounted on the cross member 22 of the front framesection 16. The rear wheel means 34 preferably comprises a single rearwheel 38 which, as best shown in FIG. 8, is rotatably mounted in a yoke40 having a vertical spindle 42 journaled in a bearing 44 carried by therear cross member 28 of the rear frame section 18. As shown in FIGS. 4and 8, a vertical steering shaft 46 suitably mounted on the rear crossmember 28 is connected to the rearwheel spindle 42 by a chain 48. Aswill be apparent, by pivoting the steering shaft 46 to correspondinglypivot the rear-wheel spindle 42, the rear wheel 38 is pivoted about theaxis of the spindle 42 to steer the machine 10. The steering shaft 46 isprovided with a rearwardly-extending steering handle 50 actuable by anoperator walking behind the machine 10. It will be understood that, ifdesired, a platform or seat, not shown, on which the operator may standor sit may be added to the rear end of the rear section 18 of the mainframe 12.

The auxiliary frame 14 is located below the rear section 18 of the mainframe 12 and between the longitudinal tubes 24 of the main frame. Therearward end of the auxiliary frame 14, which may merely be asuitably-reinforced rectangular plate, is pivotally connected to therear section 18 of the main frame 12 by a transverse pivot means 52which permits upward and downward pivotal movement of the front end ofthe auxiliary frame about a transverse auxiliary-frame pivot axis. Suchupward and downward pivoting of the auxiliary frame 14 may be effectedby a hydraulic cylinder, i.e., a hydraulic motor of the reciprocatingtype, 54 pivotally connected at one end to the front of the auxiliaryframe and pivotally connected at its other end to the upper end of apost 56 on the front cross member 26 of the rear frame section 18. Aswill be apparent, the hydraulic cylinder 54 may be actuated to raise andlower the auxiliary frame 14 between the operative and inoperativepositions respectively shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

Mounted on the auxiliary frame 14 adjacent the pivoted rear end thereofis an engine 58 which drives a suitable hydraulic pump, not shown. Theoutput of this hydraulic pump is used to actuate the hydraulic cylinder54 to raise and lower the front end of the auxiliary frame 14. Theoutput of the hydraulic pump is also utilized to actuate a rotaryhydraulic motor 60 suitably mounted on a frame 62 attached to therear-wheel yoke 40. The rotary hydraulic motor 60 is connected to therear wheel 38 by a chain 64 to permit the motor 60 to propel the machine10, this motor being reversible so that it can propel the machine eitherforwardly or rearwardly.

Carried by the auxiliary frame 14 adjacent the front end thereof is arotary cutting means 68 mounted on the 4 auxiliary frame in suitablebearings 70 for rotation about a transverse axis. The rotary cuttingmeans 68 is driven by the engine 58 through belts 72. The rotary cuttingmeans 68 is shown as comprising a plurality of laterally spaced circularsaw blades 74, FIG. 1, in the particular construction illustrated. Withthis construction, the rotary cutting means 68 may be utilized eitherfor bump cutting, or for grooving. Alternatively, therotary cuttingmeans 68 may comprise a single saw blade 74 for sawing expansion joints.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the main frame 12 is in its extended condition,the front wheel means 32 is located a substantial distance forwardly ofthe rotary cutting means 68. With this configuration for the machine 10,it may be utilized for bump cutting, the forward location of the frontwheel means 32 minimizing the reflection of bumps encountered thereby tothe rotary cutting means 68 so as to provide for leveling of thepavement with maximum effectiveness.

With the main frame 12 in its contracted condition, the front wheelmeans32 and the rotary cutting means 68 are juxtaposed in close proximity toeach other, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7. Under such conditions, the rotarycutting means 68 may be utilized for cutting grooves of constant depth,or for sawing a single slot of constant depth in the event that only onesaw blade 74 is used. With the front wheel means 32 close to the rotarycutting means 68, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the front wheel meanscauses the rotary cutting means 68 to follow irregularities in thepavement so as to cut a groove or grooves of substantially constantdepth, with little or no leveling of the pavement.

The depth of cut of the rotary cutting means 68 is adjustably regulatedby interengageable stop means .76

and 78 respectively carried by theauxiliary frame 14 and.

the rear frame section 18. More particularly, the stop means 76comprises laterally spaced stop screws 80 threaded through upstandingarms 82 on the front end of the auxiliary frame 14. The stop means 78 onthe rear frame section 18 comprises laterally spaced stacks of pivotedleaves 84 selectively pivotable into and out of a position to be engagedby the respective stop screws 80. As will be apparent, by varying thenumber of leaves 84 in positions to be engaged by the stop screws 80,the

depth of cut of the rotary cutting means 68 may be varied.

Mounted on the front end of the auxiliary frame 14 are pavement-engagingelements 88 which are pivotable downwardly from retracted positions intopavement engaging positions, the latter positions being shownin FIG. 7.As

will be apparent, the pavement engaging elements 88 may.

be pivoted downwardly into: their pavement engaging positions byactuating the hydraulic cylinder 54 to elevate the front end of theauxiliary frame 14. If the hydraulic cylinder 54 is extended with thepavement engaging elements 88 in engagement with the pavement, theeffect is to lift the front wheel means 32 clear of the pavement, as

shown in FIG. 7. This takes. the weight off the front wheel means 32 sothat the front frame section 16 can readily be extended or contractedrelative to the rear frame section 18, which is an important feature.

It is thought that the operation of the machine 10 will be clear fromthe foregoing description so that no further explanation is necessary.Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosedherein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that variouschanges, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in suchembodiment without departing from the.

spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow, whereinwe claim:

1. In a pavement cutting machine, the combination of: (a) frame meanshaving longitudinally spaced front and rear ends; (b) front wheel meansconnected to and supporting said frame means adjacent said front endthereof;

(c) rear wheel means connected to and supporting said frame meansadjacent said rear end thereof;

(d) rotary cutting means carried by said frame means between said frontand rear wheel means, and rotatable about a transverse axis of rotation,for cutting pavement over which the machine runs;

(e) means connected to said rotary cutting means and at least one ofsaid wheel means for driving said rotary cutting means and forpropelling the machine; and

(f) means for varying the longitudinal spacing of said front and rearwheel means.

2. A pavement cutting machine according to claim 1 wherein said frontwheel means and said rotary cutting means are juxtaposed when thelongitudinal spacing between said front and rear wheel means is at itsminimum.

3. A pavement cutting machine as defined in clan. 1 wherein said rearwheel means is ivotable relative to said frame means about a verticalaxis and has steering means connected thereto for pivoting san: aboutsaid vertical axis.

4-. In a pavement cutting machine, the combination of:

(a) frame means having longitudinally spaced front and rear ends;

(b) front wheel means connected to and supporting said frame meansadjacent said front end thereof;

(c) rear wheel means connected to and supporting said frame meansadjacent said rear end thereof;

(d) rotary cutting means carried by said frame means between said frontand rear Wheel means, and rotatable about a transverse axis of rotation,for cutting pavement over which the machine runs;

(e) an engine carried by said frame means and connected to said rotarycutting means and at least one of said wheel means for driving saidrotary cutting means and for propelling the machine; and

(f) said frame means having front and rear sections to which said frontand rear wheel means are connected, respectively, and which aretelescopically interconnected to vary the longitudinal spacing of saidfront and rear wheel means.

5. A pavement cutting machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein saidrotary cutting means and said engine are carried by said rear section ofsaid frame means.

6. A pavement cutting machine according to claim 5 wherein saidtelescopically interconnected front and rear sections of said framemeans constitute a main frame of the frame means, and wherein said framemeans includes an auxiliary frame having a rear end connected to saidrear section of said main frame for pivotal movement of said auxiliaryframe relative to said rear section of main frame about a transverseauxiliary-frame pivot axis, said engine and said rotary cutting meansbeing mounted on said auxiliary frame, and said pavement cutting machineincluding actuating means interconnecting the front end of saidauxiliary frame and said rear section of said main frame for pivotingsaid auxiliary frame upward and downwardly about said auxiliary-framepivot axis.

7. A pavement cutting machine as defined in claim 6 includingretractable pavement engaging means carried by said auxiliary frameadjacent the front end thereof, said pavement engaging means beingextensible into engagement with the pavement to prevent downward pivotalmovement of said auxiliary frame by said actuating means and to thuscause said actuating means to lift said front wheel means off thepavement to facilitate teiescopic extension and contraction of said mainframe.

8. A pavement cutting machine as defined in claim 6 includinginterengageable stop means on said auxiliary frame and said rear sectionof said main frame for limiting downward pivotal movement of saidauxiliary frame, one of said stop means comprising a stack of pivotedleaves selectively pivotable into and out of a position to be engaged bythe other of said stop means to vary the depth of cut of said rotarycutting means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ERNEST R. PURSER, PrimaryExaminer.

1. IN A PAVEMENT CUTTING MACHINE, THE COMBINATION OF: (A) FRAME MEANSHAVING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FRONT AND REAR ENDS; (B) FRONT WHEEL MEANSCONNECTED TO AND SUPPORTING SAID FRAME MEANS ADJACENT SAID FRONT ENDTHEREOF; (C) REAR WHEEL MEANS CONNECTED TO AND SUPPORTING SAID FRAMEMEANS ADJACENT SAID REAR END THEREOF; (D) ROTARY CUTTING MEANS CARRIEDBY SAID FRAME MEANS BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND REAR WHEEL MEANS, ANDROTATABLE ABOUT A TRANSVERSE AXIS OF ROTATION, FOR CUTTING PAVEMENT OVERWHICH THE MACHINE RUNS; (E) MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID ROTARY CUTTING MEANSAND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID WHEEL MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID ROTARY CUTTINGMEANS AND FOR PROPELLING THE MACHINE; AND (F) MEANS FOR VARYING THELONGITUDINAL SPACING OF SAID FRONT AND REAR WHEEL MEANS.